A Planning System Overhaul Announced!

England’s councils will be given new mandatory housing targets to address the housing crisis and deliver 1.5 million more homes. The new targets will encourage housebuilding in areas most in need, removing barriers to economic growth and boosting Britain’s construction. The new rules will reverse last year’s decision to make housing targets advisory, reflecting the government’s ambition to tackle the housing crisis. These targets will be incorporated into local plans, allowing communities to have a say in the building of homes and infrastructure.

Currently, only a third of councils have plans under five years old, the government will make the tough choices and intervene where necessary to advance development and guarantee that local communities have a voice in the how—but not the if — new homes are built.

Here are the key points from the Deputy Prime Minister’s speech on changes to national planning policy:

Government’s Housing Plan: Aims to boost economic growth by building more homes. Addresses the acute housing crisis with 150,000 children in temporary accommodation and nearly 1.3 million households on social housing waiting lists. Plans to increase housing targets to 370,000 homes a year.
Housing Targets: Local housing targets to become mandatory. New method to calculate housing needs based on local community size and house prices. Emphasis on building homes in brownfield land and strategic use of Green Belt land.
Green Belt and Affordable Housing: Local authorities to prioritise low-quality ‘Grey Belt’ land. New rules for Green Belt development to include 50% affordable housing and necessary community services. Commitment to building genuinely affordable homes, with support from developers and government.
Support for Local Authorities: More flexibility in the Affordable Homes Programme. Increased support for councils and housing associations. Immediate increase in Right to Buy discounts and consultation on reforms.
National Infrastructure: Easing the process of building critical infrastructure like laboratories, gigafactories, and renewable energy sources. Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) to include large onshore wind projects.
Local Development Plans: Expectation for every local authority to have an up-to-date local development plan. Government intervention if local authorities fail to deliver.
Future Plans: Introduction of a Planning and Infrastructure Bill to reform planning committees, compulsory purchase compensation, and planning departments. Long-term housing strategy to be published for transforming the housing market. Commitment to building 1.5 million high-quality, sustainable homes and boosting affordable housing.

Read our Key Summary of the Proposed NPPF Changes

For further information or queries on how this may impact your future projects, contact Ifti Maniar on 0123 552 3139.

The new draft NPPF for consultation can be viewed at the following link and will be open until 24 September 2024: National Planning Policy Framework Draft Text for Consultation (PDF)

The open consultation can be found on the webpage: Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system. (Please note this consultation is now closed.)